Concerns Rise As Mysterious Virus Allegedly Strains China’s Healthcare System

There is concern of another pandemic in China as hospitals in the country are under immense pressure as surge of illness spreads rapidly across the country, prompting a return to widespread mask usage.

Social media platforms are flooded with alarming images of overcrowded emergency rooms, parents waiting in long lines with their sick children, and hospital wards filled with masked patients.

Unverified reports claim that crematoriums and funeral homes are nearing capacity, heightening public concern and evoking memories of the initial COVID-19 outbreak.

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Local media have speculated that human metapneumovirus (HMPV)—a virus known to cause mild respiratory symptoms—could be responsible for the outbreak. However, official confirmation from Chinese health authorities is still pending.

The current wave bears a striking resemblance to the winter of 2022-2023, when a surge in mycoplasma pneumonia cases, nicknamed “white lung,” primarily affected children.

Experts attributed that rise in infections to weakened immune systems, a consequence of prolonged lockdowns and school closures.

AFP